Jess Beaman and his 6-8 preseason varsity Bruin Boys Basketball team took to the road Friday night for a match-up in Medford against the 10-2 Cascade Christian Challengers to open 3A league play in the 2020 season.
With the tension of starting off the season with a win, the Bruins took the floor and ran on the Challengers. Senior Bruin point guard Evan Fronckowiak drove inside and hit for 6 points in the first quarter. The Bruins clearly had the size advantage inside and senior Jason Vanginderen #10 made the most of the opportunity hitting two baskets and two freethrows as the Bruins took the 18-16 lead after one period of play.
But the Challengers made interior adjustments and tightened their 2-3 defense to stop the Bruin inside game. The Challenger defense held the Bruins to just 8 points in the second period. The Bruins also had no defensive answers for the Challengers in the second period allowing the Challengers 23 points in the period, taking a 26-39 13 point lead into the half time break.
The third period was a repeat of the first as the Bruins pounded the ball inside. Again Fronckowiak stepped up getting to the free throw line 7 times sinking 6. Derek Tuttle #20 and Jason Vanginderen #10 worked inside the key with Vanginderen hitting two buckets for 4 points and Tuttle sinking 2 free throws. The Bruin defense allowed only 4 Cascade Christian baskets in the third period holding the Challengers to just 9 points in the third.
As the fourth period started the Challengers held a 10 point lead as Cascade Christians senior guard Layne Collum #32 went on Challenger scoring streak hitting three 3 pointers and two free throws for 11 of the Challengers 13 points in the final period. The Bruin offense could not bridge the gap putting up only 11 points in the final period as the Challengers handed the Bruins a 49-61 loss to start the 2020 season.
The Bruins will be at home Tuesday evening at 5:30pm as they take on the 4-9 Douglas Trojans coming off a 41-44 loss to South Umpqua.
